Woman Spends Day in the Sea—Wakes Up Terrified by Her Own Reflection
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Paige Cudini was enjoying a birthday trip to San Diego when a seemingly normal day in the sun turned into a medical nightmare.
The marketing manager, 25, who lives in Las Vegas, had grown up in the southern U.S. and was no stranger to sunlight—but what happened next left her stunned. "It was so shocking that 90 minutes in California changed my life forever," Cudini told Newsweek.
Before heading out for her surfing lesson, Cudini applied sunscreen multiple times to her face and scalp—the only parts of her body exposed to the sun—believing this would be sufficient protection against its rays.
From left: Cudini gives a thumbs-up while wearing a wet suit; and her face is seen swollen.
From left: Cudini gives a thumbs-up while wearing a wet suit; and her face is seen swollen.
TikTok/@paige.cudini
"While I was out, I did feel like I was burning a bit, but that wasn't anything out of the ordinary for me," Cudini said. "I had begun to see a bit of redness around dinner time, but it seemed like my typical burn, so I didn't pay too much attention to it."
Cudini applied aloe vera before going to bed that evening, thinking it would reduce the redness.
"As I was starting to fall asleep, I noticed I was shaking quite a bit and that I couldn't get warm for the life of me, but eventually I was able to fall asleep," Cudini said. "On July 7, that's when I realized something was wrong.
"I woke up in pain and could barely open my eyes. I ran to the bathroom, looked in the mirror and realized my face was completely swollen."
From left: Cudini poses with her face covered in aloe vera; and she puts her thumb up to show her smooth face after the skin peeled off.
From left: Cudini poses with her face covered in aloe vera; and she puts her thumb up to show her smooth face after the skin peeled off.
TikTok/@paige.cudini
Cudini has shared a series of photos on TikTok (@paige.cudini) where her eyes and nose appear to be puffy. Then, she starts to blister followed by losing the ability to open her left eye.
She told Newsweek that her symptoms include shaking, swelling, and pain.
On July 8, she was officially diagnosed with sun poisoning—a severe form of sunburn characterized by blisters, indicating a second-degree burn that can lead to serious complications—and was prescribed a 15-day course of Prednisone.
"At this point, my pain was through the roof, and I was struggling to breathe through my nose because of the swelling," Cudini said.
The side effects persisted for more than a week, including chills, nausea, headaches, blistering, dehydration, and even muscle stiffness.
"Once the swelling had started to go down a bit, that's when the scabbing and peeling got me," Cudini said. "Whenever I tried to put on aloe vera or burn gel, my skin was coming off in chunks; I had no idea skin could even do this."
"Honestly, I was terrified. I had such a hard time recognizing myself and even my Face ID stopped recognizing me," she added.
"I was still working this entire time and could barely keep my eyes open, which was very unfortunate.
"Waking up to my eyes being completely shut was the worst day of the entire sun-poisoning experience because I truly had no idea what to do. I was putting ice packs on my eyes, massaging my face to try to reduce swelling, elevating my head while I slept, and nothing seemed to be working."
Despite the physical discomfort, Cudini said that finding humor in the situation helped her cope.
"Throughout the 1.5 weeks, the one thing that kept my head above water was learning how to laugh at the situation. Because of my post, I've been so fortunate to hear other people's stories and really understand just how crazy an experience like this can change a person."
"I'm fully black and literally got sun poisoning. It's not fun because it itches and burn at the same time. Then peels. USE Y'ALL SUNSCREEN NO MATTER YOUR RACE!!!!!" said one user on the video that has 2.2 million views.
"This happened to me when I was 10—it's the worst pain and trauma of my life and needed to go to hospital when I got home from holiday. I really sympathize and hope you're ok, it's SO painful," posted another user.
From left: Cudini smiles as her face has returned back to normal.
From left: Cudini smiles as her face has returned back to normal.
TikTok/@paige.cudini
Though she has now recovered, Cudini said the experience has radically changed her relationship with the sun.
"I'm able to work in the office again and have taken some new preventive measures such as wearing sunglasses and a hat anywhere I go, switching to a mineral sunscreen, and waiting to go outside until the sun has gone down," she said.
"I am still quite nervous to go back into the sun for a longer period of time, but I think that's something I'll just need to work up to moving forward."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
34 TikTok-Famous Beauty Products It's Officially Time For You To Try
A delightfully affordable instant foot peeling spray for anyone ready to go full YEEHAW!! on a pedicure, without the big salon price tag. This not only helps gently remove dead skin, but moisturizes dry and cracked heels, so you'll really get some refreshing bang for your buck. Gold Bond's firming neck and chest cream your skin will be SO happy to soak up — this is formulated with aloe, salicylic acid, and jojoba oil to help hydrate, tighten, and gently exfoliate your skin so effectively that you should be able to see early results in two weeks. (For some reviewers, it only took a few days!) A limited edition (!!) Eos Marshmallow "Super Balm" lip treatment from the brand's "secret menu" so good that reviewers say it's better than Carmex for healing and better than Summer Fridays for quality. Lip care that also tastes like you're perpetually eating a s'more for less than $5?? My friends, life is good. Lumify Eye Drops, a product so beloved by TikTok that despite being more $$ than other brands, it's the number one selling brand on Amazon right now. Reviewers swear by this for instant reduction in redness in their eyes, with visible differences within a minute of use. A bottle of sulfate-free biotin shampoo that thousands of reviewers swear by for helping restore their hair and promote healthy hair growth over time. It also includes nourishing ingredients like rosemary oil, zinc, and coconut oil to help moisturize locks and give them a fuller, more volumized look. Dr. Melaxin "Peel Shot," a K-beauty staple for serious exfoliation that buffs out dead skin and leaves your complexion looking glowy and refreshed. If you're looking for an effective way to kick dead skin cells, blackheads, and sebum to the curb, this deeply penetrating rice water extract formula is just the ticket. Lottabody's Coconut Oil Foaming Curl Mousse designed for all hair types to give you satisfyingly hydrated, volumized, frizz-free curls even at the height of humidity. A $4 miracle in a bottle if there ever were one! An SPF 50 Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar, a K-beauty staple with a curved balm stick style that makes it super easy to apply, and a non-sticky, white cast-free formula that plays ABSURDLY well with makeup. If you're looking for a lightweight "soft matte" sunscreen to protect your skin, this is your new BFF. Clinique Almost Lipstick Tinted Lip Balm in Black Honey you're definitely going to want to stock up on *now*, before TikTokers go feral again (guilty as charged). This cult-classic, lightweight, slightly glossy shade is beyond "holy grail" status — it matches skin tones so beautifully that I'm personally starting to suspect witchcraft, after seeing so many TikToks of it subtly transforming entire beauty looks with just a few swipes. Olay Super Serum Body Wash will make anyone with dry or dull skin REJOICE — this is packed with niacinamide, shea butter, and collagen peptides for 24-hour hydration that will make you feel as ~luminous~ as the sunshine. (Psst — this is the body wash version of their TikTok-famous, super effective facial Super Serum, so you KNOW they mean business.) E.l.f's Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara, a GODSEND for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. This uses lightweight ~tubing~ technology to wrap around lashes and give them a natural-looking, smudge-proof extension so good it almost looks fake. The real boon, though, is how easily the "tubes" slide off in clean, easy swipes at the end of the day when you're washing your face — absolutely no smudging, over-scrubbing, or special eye makeup removal products required. Laneige's Neo Blurring Powder absorbs oil and blurs pores so effectively that you'll be like, "Oh ... witchcraft??" Might be the only explanation for how this can matte-ify your complexion while still keeping it radiant and glowy. ✨ Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener, which became the internet's holy grail — now in four shades! — for concealing and brightening dark circles under your eyes so fast that everyone's old concealers are doing double takes. This lightweight color-adapting formula is designed for truly ~invisible~ coverage that makes a drastic difference. And Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel, a cult-fave product for your beauty arsenal that will quickly help minimize eye puffiness and swelling thanks to its winning combo of caffeine and hyaluronic acid. It's basically an alarm clock for your eyeballs, because boy howdy are they awake now!! Monday Haircare Dry Shampoo with all the oil-absorbing, refreshing power of its competitors, *plus* added keratin for protection against frizz and breakage. The subtle gardenia scent is just extra extra credit after all that. Biodance's TikTok-beloved Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask for an overnight ~refresh~ to help firm skin, boost elasticity, and minimize pores. Reviewers mention noticing a visible difference even after one use! You are about to become the definition of "I woke up like this." ✨ Kitsch's flat claw clip with some modern meets retro vibes that will give your hair a chic little ~pop~ of volume and hold. Reviewers are especially impressed by how strong these little clips are, and how much hair they can hold! Reviewers also note that these make it more comfortable to lean back on chairs, since the claw won't dig into your head. E.l.f. Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray so good at its job that reviewers compare it to the $38 Milk Makeup Hydro Grip 👀. If you're looking for all day coverage that still leaves a hydrated, glowy finish, then your face is going to looooove drinking up this hyaluronic acid-infused fine mist spray. Mise En Scene Perfect Serum, a beloved K-beauty staple reviewers compare to the $46 Gisou version for MEGA hair hydration and heat protection up to 450 degrees, so you can style your hair without sacrificing on ✨shine✨. This unique blend of seven-oil blend Moroccan argan, olive, coconut, apricot, Marula, jojoba, and camellia oil not only protects hair, but helps correct damage from dryness, *and* reduces drying time. A ridiculously charming octopus-shaped blackhead remover you can use to gently scrub as part of your skin routine or in the shower to remove excess sebum to exfoliate pores and pull out blackheads, whiteheads, and other miscellaneous gunk from the day that you'd rather evict. First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance Pads, a set of compostable (!!) beauty prep pads you can use before putting on makeup to gently tone and exfoliate your skin, making it the ultimate primer for getting the most out of your foundation. Bonus — unlike a lot of toning products, these are super gentle and sensitive skin-friendly! A "flossing toothbrush" with two layers of bristles — regular firm bristles and longer ones that are ten times thinner to clean deep in between your teeth and gums to mimic flossing. Reviewers love how deep the clean feels, and also how soft it is on sensitive teeth! CeraVe's Hydrating cleanser made with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin — aka, all the good stuff to hydrate your face and remove makeup and oil without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. Psst — a lot of reviewers with sensitive skin and acne swear by this, because it's super gentle *and* super effective. Medicube Turmeric Overnight Wrapping Peel Off Mask, which has already made itself a TikTok sensation — unsurprising, since the K-Beauty brand Medicube knocks it out of the park again and again. This mask goes on before bed and uses hydrolyzed collagen, vitamin C, and turmeric to help even out skin tone and improve elasticity. A deep exfoliating shower back scrubber so soothing and effective that it won't be long before all your friends are like, "Wow, remember when they talked about something other than how squeaky clean their back feels?" A lot of reviewers with dry skin and keratosis pilaris swear by this for relief! TruSkin vitamin C serum that just short of startles reviewers for how fast it visibly brightens and firms skin even from the first use, and how well it reduces wrinkles and the appearance of dark spots over time. This may be on the pricier side of skincare, but reviewers compare the cult-fave blend of vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E to the $182 SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum. With over 95,000 5-star reviews on Amazon and dozens of before-and-after reviewer photos, the hype is more than earned. Londontown "Nail Veil" Protectant, which is designed not only to protect your nails, but to act as a sheer tint to enhance their natural look. It's basically "no makeup makeup," but for your fingernails. A deliciously soothing, bacteria-targeting Briotech spray (which compares to the pricier Tower 28 SOS Spray!) reviewers love for helping with skin irritation caused by heat or sweat in warmer seasons. Reviewers also swear by this handy little spray for acne, rosacea, eczema, dryness, dermatitis (scalp included!), and even toenail fungus! The internet-famous Revlon oil-absorbing volcanic face roller you simply swipe over your face like a magic wand that makes excess oil disappear — super convenient and *way* less wasteful than using blotting strips and time wasting than fancy powders that need a ton of blending work. A dark spot-removing soap bar you might want to try if you're someone with sensitive skin or hyperpigmentation — this is formulated not only with hyaluronic acid to protect your skin's moisture barrier but a blend of vitamin C, retinol, collagen, and turmeric to help brighten and soothe skin. Thank Me Later Eyeshadow Base tackles oily skin like nobody's business — this formula locks eyeshadow in place to prevent the pigments from creasing or smudging, which is a very rude thing for your eyeshadow to do after you've worked so darn hard on it. MagicMinerals AirBrush Foundation, your new favorite alternative to Dior's (discontinued!!) Airflash that lives up to the hype — one quick spray of the foundation on the included brush, and it glides so smoothly and subtly over your skin texture that you'll feel like a makeup artist did it for you. Reviewers in their thirties, forties, and up especially swear by this lightweight but effective formula, and love that it's ridiculously easy to use. A beautifully packaged, travel-friendly Touchland Glow Mist hydrating hand sanitizer for anyone who's like "mindfully practicing health and safety, but make it fashion." Unlike other sanitizer sprays, it's infused with aloe vera to keep your skin hydrated and has the most luxurious floral scents. Essence's "What the Fake!" Plumping Lip Filler gives your lips a lil' extra ~vavoom~ — this tingly formula not only volumizes your lips, but it's made with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to leave them extra moisturized and hydrated.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Threatens 250% Tariff on Pharmaceuticals
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump has said that tariffs on pharmaceutical imports could eventually reach up to 250 percent, as his administration works to lower prescription prices for Americans. During an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, the president said he will initially impose a "small tariff on pharmaceuticals," which will rise to 150 percent "in one year, one and a half years maximum," before then eventually jumping to 250 percent. Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment. Why It Matters The United States imports a significant amount of pharmaceuticals each year—over $200 billion in 2024, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. Should Trump follow through on ramping up these duties, the highest he has threatened on the industry to date, experts believe this could result in significant increases to drug prices in the U.S. However, some health policy experts told Newsweek this could also help rebalance the global drug supply chain to better favor American customers. What To Know Trump said that the tariffs are intended to encourage pharmaceutical companies to move their operations to the U.S.—"because we want pharmaceuticals made in our country"—and to minimize reliance on Europe. He had previously threatened to place 200 percent tariffs on pharmaceuticals in July, but said he would give the industry time before this change came into effect. Trump's threats of pharmaceutical tariffs have raised concerns among experts that these could lead to increased costs and medication shortages in the U.S. In April, the UNC Center for the Business of Health published a report warning that these effects would be especially significant for generic drugs, which are more likely to be imported and operate on lower profit margins than brand-name medications. "A 250 percent tariff on pharmaceuticals would have a significant impact on drug prices," said health economist Jeromie Ballreich. Ballreich told Newsweek that, for branded pharmaceuticals, higher costs from the tariffs will be "passed on to consumers and most likely will be indirect through higher prescription drug insurance premiums." Major pharmaceutical companies across the world saw their shares fall on Wednesday following Trump's announcement. England-based AstraZeneca was down by 1.1 percent, Indiana-based Eli Lilly by 2.3 percent, and Germany-based Bayer AG by nearly 10 percent as of 11:20 ET. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near Air Force One at Lehigh Valley International Airport on August 3, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near Air Force One at Lehigh Valley International Airport on August 3, latest threat comes as the industry braces for the outcome of an ongoing probe by the Commerce Department into the national security implications of America's medicinal imports. The investigation was launched in April by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act. Trump did not provide many specifics, such as whether certain classes of pharmaceuticals would be exempt, beyond stating that these tariffs are separate from the country-specific duties that came into effect last week. However, the announcement appears to contradict the terms of the European Union deal struck in July, which the European Commission president said placed a 15-percent tariff "ceiling" on multiple sectors, including pharmaceuticals. Experts had already warned that the 15 percent tariff outlined in the EU trade deal could end up costing the pharmaceutical industry billions. The cost implications could also be seen as conflicting with the administration's separate attempts to lower the price of prescription drugs. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen meets with President Donald Trump in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27, 2025. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen meets with President Donald Trump in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27, May, Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to "ensure foreign countries are not engaged in practices that purposefully and unfairly undercut market prices and drive price hikes in the United States." It also proposed that the U.S. be given Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) status, which would require drug companies to offer Americans the same lowest price that drugs are sold for in other countries. Trump followed this up by sending letters to 17 of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies on July 31, outlining steps they must take within 60 days to lower prescription prices for U.S. customers. These include extending MFN pricing to Medicaid, guaranteeing MFN pricing for new medications and negotiating "harder with foreign freeloading nations." The letters also call on the companies to expand direct-to-consumer distribution models to ensure customers "get the same low MFN prices that manufacturers already offer to third-party payers." "At face value, these tariffs are contradictory to his efforts to lower domestic prices," Ballreich told Newsweek. "However, if the tariffs are used as a threat to get drug companies to comply to his administration's [executive orders], including the recent letters to pharmaceutical CEOs, then I think we could see some changes to the pharmaceutical market, which will lower domestic drug prices." Several drugmakers, including Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, have also pledged to expand their U.S. manufacturing presence. Prior to the letters being sent, but amid this pressure from the administration, a number had also announced they would be reducing some U.S. drug prices. Health policy analyst Mariana Socal warned that beyond potential cost implications, the tariffs could significantly disrupt the drug development pipeline, potentially jeopardizing the release of new medications. "Aside from the problem of added costs, the uncertainty introduced by tariff policies is detrimental in and of itself to the pharmaceutical market," she told Newsweek, noting that only around one in 10,000 investigated compounds make it to pharmacy shelves, and only do so after decades of work. "Any added uncertainty is likely to be detrimental to this industry, including disincentivizing investors from supporting this industry and pharmaceutical manufacturers from continuing to look for cures," she said. What People Are Saying Health economist Jeromie Ballreich told Newsweek: "This tariff could really disrupt the U.S. prescription drug market, especially the Medicare part D market, where the party plans will be on the hook for the higher price prices and result in significant premium increases to offset these higher prices. Given that, I don't think it's likely that this massive tariff will occur, but rather is a threat to force companies to find solutions based on the executive orders and his recent letters to pharmaceutical CEOs." Mariana Socal, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Newsweek: "It is critical to continue to identify solutions to lower drug prices in America and improve drug affordability for Americans. However, it is unclear how tariffs would advance affordability. On the opposite, tariffs can be understood as a hidden tax." "In the short term, the likelihood that added costs from tariffs will be passed through to consumers can be reduced by existing contractual agreements with supply chain participants such as distributors and group purchasing organizations, which can protect buyers from price increases for 1-3 years," she added. "However, even if the added cost of tariffs would not necessarily be passed-through to patients in the short term, it could raise costs in the long run." What Happens Next On Sunday, Trump said he would be announcing tariffs on the industry "within the next week or so."
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Alzheimer's: Scientists Discover What Sparks Disease
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Lithium deficiency in the brain could be a cause of Alzheimer's disease—and a new potential target for treatment. Ten years in the making, this is the finding of researchers at Harvard Medical School who have revealed how lithium plays an essential role in brain function and may provide resistance against brain aging and Alzheimer's. Lithium is a chemical element, currently used as medicine to treat mood disorders like mania and bipolar disorder. "Most people associate lithium with psychiatric treatment. Our study shows, for the first time, that naturally occurring lithium plays a crucial role in maintaining brain health during aging—even at concentrations far below those used in clinical psychiatry," study authors Bruce Yankner and Liviu Aron told Newsweek. The findings are based on a series of experiments in mice and on analyses of human brain tissue and blood samples from individuals in various stages of cognitive health. Lithium carbonate tablet bottles on shelf. Lithium carbonate tablet bottles on shelf. Getty Images "We found that lithium is uniquely depleted in the brains of people with mild cognitive impairment—a precursor to Alzheimer's. This makes lithium deficiency one of the earliest biochemical signs of the disease, possibly years before clinical symptoms appear," the duo explained. "We also saw that higher endogenous lithium levels were associated with preserved cognitive function even in individuals without Alzheimer's. So, this isn't just about preventing disease—it's about supporting healthy brain aging in general. The new revelation helps to explain why some people with Alzheimer's-like abnormalities in the brain don't go on to develop the disease. While genetic and environmental factors play a role, scientists also haven't been able to suggest why some people with the same risk factors might develop it and others don't—until now. The scientists unearthed that lithium loss in the human brain is one of the earliest changes leading to Alzheimer's. In mice, meanwhile, similar lithium depletion accelerated brain pathology (disease or abnormality) and memory decline. They also found reduced lithium levels stemmed from binding to amyloid plaques (misfolded proteins found between nerve cells found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's) and impaired uptake in the brain. One pair of boxes shows fewer green amyloid clusters on the left and more on the right. Another pair of boxes shows a dim arc of purple and red tau on the left and a... One pair of boxes shows fewer green amyloid clusters on the left and more on the right. Another pair of boxes shows a dim arc of purple and red tau on the left and a brighter arc on the right. More Yankner Lab In their final set of experiments, they found a new lithium compound that avoids "capture" by amyloid plaques restored memory in mice. "In people that start experiencing memory loss, the so-called mild cognitive impairment, lithium gets trapped by amyloid plaques—reducing its availability just when it's most needed to protect against inflammation and neurodegeneration," Yankner and Aron explained. "This creates a self-perpetuating feedback loop of worsening pathology and accelerating disease progression and memory loss." This all ties together decades-long observations in patients and provides a new theory of the disease and strategy for early diagnosis, prevention and treatment, according to the researchers. Recently developed treatments that target amyloid beta (a key component of the amyloid plaques) typically don't reverse memory loss and only modestly reduce the rate of decline. "The idea that lithium deficiency could be a cause of Alzheimer's disease is new and suggests a different therapeutic approach," said Yankner in a statement. Researchers had previously found lithium to be the only metal that had markedly different levels across people with and without Alzheimer's at different stages. But Yankner added in a statement, "Lithium turns out to be like other nutrients we get from the environment, such as iron and vitamin C. "It's the first time anyone's shown that lithium exists at a natural level that's biologically meaningful without giving it as a drug." Previous population studies have shown that higher lithium levels in the environment, including in drinking water, tracked with lower rates of dementia. Woman hugging her elderly mother. Woman hugging her elderly mother. PIKSEL/Getty Images Yankner's team demonstrated in mice that lithium depletion isn't just linked to Alzheimer's, it actually helps drive it. This raises hope that one day lithium could be used to treat the disease in its entirety rather than focusing on a single factor like amyloid beta or tau (another Alzheimer's-associated protein), Yankner said. Crucially, the researchers discovered that as amyloid beta begins to form deposits in the early stages of dementia in both humans and mouse models, it binds to lithium, reducing lithium's function in the brain. The reduced levels of lithium affect all major brain cell types and, in mice, lead to changes similar to those seen in Alzheimer's disease, including memory loss. Treating mice with the most potent amyloid-evading compound, called lithium orotate, reversed Alzheimer's pathology, prevented brain cell damage and restored memory. While the findings need to be confirmed in humans through clinical trials, they suggest that measuring lithium levels could help screen for early Alzheimer's. They also highlight the importance of testing amyloid-evading lithium compounds for treatment or prevention. While other lithium compounds are already used to treat bipolar disorder and clinical depression, they are given at much higher concentrations that can be toxic to some people, the researchers flag. Yankner's team discovered lithium orotate is effective at one-thousandth that dose— enough to mimic the natural level of lithium in the brain. Mice treated for nearly their entire adult lives showed no evidence of toxicity, the study found. If further studies confirm these findings, the researchers say lithium screening through routine blood tests may one day offer a way to identify individuals at risk for Alzheimer's who would benefit from treatment to prevent or delay disease onset. "Our study adds to growing evidence that Alzheimer's may be preventable—with something as simple as keeping brain lithium at healthy levels as we age," said Yankner and Aron. "Clinical trials [on humans] could test the impact of low-dose supplementation on cognitive health and dementia risk." Before lithium is proved to be safe and effective in protecting against neurodegeneration in humans, Yankner emphasized that people should not take lithium compounds on their own. Do you have a health story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about Alzheimer's? Let us know via health@ Reference Aron, L., Ngian, Z. K., Qiu, C., Choi, J., Liang, M., Drake, D. M., Hamplova, S. E., Lacey, E. K., Roche, P., Yuan, M., Hazaveh, S. S., Lee, E. A., Bennett, D. A., & Yankner, B. A. (2025). Lithium deficiency and the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Nature.
